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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING THE FOREST PRESERVES OF COOK COUNTY FOR RECEIVING THE PUBLIC NATURAL AREAS AWARD FROM THE CHICAGO REGION TREE INITIATIVE'S URBAN FORESTRY AWARDS PROGRAM FOR ITS TREE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION SPECIFICATIONS MANUAL
WHEREAS, in December 2020 the Forest Preserves of Cook County's Tree Protection and Preservation Specifications Manual (the "Manual") received the Public Natural Areas Award from the Chicago Region Tree Initiative's Urban Forestry Awards program which celebrates stewardship and advocacy for natural areas on public property; and
WHEREAS, the Forest Preserves' Manual is a document that is used to make land use and management decisions that make the preservation, protection, and maintenance of trees a top priority; and
WHEREAS, the development of the Manual was made possible in part through a 2018 Urban and Community Forestry Grant, administered by the Morton Arboretum and supported by the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program; and
WHEREAS, the Forest Preserves strives to protect an estimated 20 million trees representing nearly 200 species which provide numerous benefits to the residents of Cook County including cleaning air and water, reducing stormwater runoff, limiting erosion, and providing shade and beauty, while also offering food and shelter to thousands of species of wildlife; and
WHEREAS, this Manual supports the Forest Preserves' mission to preserve, manage and protect the public lands in its care and ensure that everyone in Cook County has access to healthy and beautiful nature and to the benefits that come with spending time outdoors; and
WHEREAS, the Forest Preserves recognizes that the nearly 70,000 acres of public land in its care face pressures from development both externally and internally, and this Manual helps plan for the protection of its trees and forests and ensure that construction contracts and license agreements consider how to protect and minimize harm to trees pr...
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